shipwreck

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.

Copyright The Columbia University Press

shipwreck, complete or partial destruction of a vessel as a result of collision, fire, grounding, storm, explosion, or other mishap. In the ancient world sea travel was hazardous, but in modern times the number of shipwrecks due to nonhostile causes has steadily declined. Factors contributing to the decrease are improvements in ship construction, modern methods of navigation, efficient ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore communication, more accurate meteorological reports and storm warnings, and the use of radar equipment. The greater size and larger accommodations of present-day vessels, however, involve greater potential loss of life and cargo in each ship disaster. One of the most famous modern sea disasters was the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.

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shipwreck

ship·wreck
/ ˈshipˌrek/
•
n.
the destruction of a ship at sea by sinking or breaking up, e.g., in a storm or after running aground. ∎
a ship so destroyed:
the detritus of a forgotten shipwreck in an Arctic sea.•
v. (be shipwrecked)
(of a person or ship) suffer a shipwreck:
he was shipwrecked off the coast of Sardinia and nearly drowned |
fig. her right to a fair trial might be shipwrecked by prosecutorial misconduct.

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